The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the criminal conviction of Jonathan Craig Otuel on multiple drug trafficking and firearm charges, rejecting his appeal in an unpublished per curiam opinion issued Jan. 21, 2026.
Otuel was convicted by a jury in August 2023 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina on charges including drug trafficking conspiracy in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(b)(1)(A) and 846, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). He had also pleaded guilty before trial to possession of a firearm as a prohibited person under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).
The criminal case originated in 2021 under case number 3:21-cr-00199 in the Charlotte division of the Western District of North Carolina, with District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. presiding. The criminal judgment was entered on Sept. 3, 2024, following Otuel's jury trial conviction.
Otuel's appeal was argued before a three-judge panel of the Fourth Circuit on Dec. 10, 2025, consisting of Circuit Judges King, Harris, and Quattlebaum. The court issued its decision approximately six weeks later in the brief unpublished per curiam opinion, indicating unanimous agreement among the judges to affirm the lower court's judgment.
Defense attorney William Robert Terpening of Terpening Law PLLC in Charlotte represented Otuel in the unsuccessful appeal. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Elizabeth Ray from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Asheville, with U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson's office in Charlotte also participating in the briefing.
The charges against Otuel represent serious federal drug trafficking offenses that carry substantial mandatory minimum sentences. Drug trafficking conspiracy under 21 U.S.C. § 846 allows prosecutors to target organized drug distribution networks, while the methamphetamine possession with intent to distribute charge under § 841 carries enhanced penalties based on the quantity involved. The firearm enhancement under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) requires a mandatory consecutive sentence when a firearm is possessed in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Otuel's guilty plea to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) indicates he had a prior criminal history that disqualified him from legally possessing firearms. This federal offense carries up to 10 years in prison and often serves as a foundation for enhanced sentencing under federal guidelines.
The Fourth Circuit's decision was issued as an unpublished per curiam opinion, meaning it was unsigned and issued by the court as a whole rather than authored by a specific judge. Such opinions typically indicate the court viewed the appeal as lacking merit or raising no novel legal issues requiring extended analysis. The court noted that unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in the Fourth Circuit, though they may be cited for their persuasive value.
The appeal process began after Otuel's criminal judgment was entered in September 2024, with the case proceeding through the standard appellate timeline. The relatively quick resolution from argument to decision suggests the court found Otuel's challenges to his conviction unpersuasive.
While the available court records do not detail the specific arguments raised on appeal, federal criminal appeals typically challenge issues such as sufficiency of evidence, jury instructions, sentencing calculations, or constitutional violations during the investigation or trial process. The affirmance indicates the Fourth Circuit found no reversible error in the district court's handling of the case.
The case represents part of ongoing federal efforts to prosecute drug trafficking organizations and the intersection of drug crimes with illegal firearm possession. Federal prosecutors often pursue conspiracy charges to capture the full scope of drug trafficking operations and seek firearm enhancements to address the violence associated with drug trafficking.
With the Fourth Circuit's affirmance, Otuel's conviction becomes final unless he seeks further review from the Supreme Court through a petition for certiorari. Such petitions are rarely granted in routine criminal cases, making the Fourth Circuit's decision likely the final word on his appeal.
The case highlights the substantial federal penalties available for drug trafficking offenses, particularly when combined with firearm charges that can result in decades-long prison sentences for defendants convicted of operating in the illegal drug trade.